The Gift of Song
by Aylakat
Summary: Magus is evil now, but he once had his days. He might be evil to us, but what's to say that he wasn't once good to his followers? A good culture loves a good musical icon, no?
1. Part 1

**The Gift of Song**   
****   
**** ****

**"SPEKKIO!!! YAAH!"**   
**"What's with you, Spekkio?"**   
**"I love my name, Gaspar. I can't help but say it. SPEKKIOOOOOOEOOOOOOOOEOOOOOO!"**   
**"Shut up! You're annoying!"**   
**"Oh come on, Gas, you can't hear me, you know your hearing is bad."**   
**"Just because I'm old doesn't mean my hearing is bad."**   
**"Oh really? Well then why don't you gogogophernickel?" Spekkio ended his sentence with a mumble.**   
**"Gophernickel?"**   
**"See! You can't hear!"**   
**"That's it, Spekkio, out! Out!"**   
**"What?"******

** Gaspar took Spekkio's red Nu paw and pushed him into a gate.******

**"Leave. Go somewhere where somebody cares that you like your name!"**   
**"Wait! Gas! These gates are unstaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...."******

** Spekkio yelled as he fell into the gate. As he was saying, the gates were unstable, and their destination a mystery...******

** Until he landed in 600 AD on top of a large sign. The air was bright and shiny with afternoon sun.******

**"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaable.... where am I?"******

** Spekkio looked around him. He was atop a relatively large castle, a white castle made of shiny white marble with black streaks.******

**"Jeez.... this person must awfully like white... and Poyozos..."******

** Spekkio changed his from back to his favorite form, the handy Underling form. He was glad that he could do such, since there were no people around to influence his body shape. He slowly used his frog limbs with their slimy suction to climb down the walls of the castle, until he reached the ground. Unfortunately, due to his small size in comparison with the size of the castle, he made it to the ground in the middle of the night.******

**"Wow! This castle glows even at night! I'm surprised I haven't seen this before."******

** Hopping slowly, he made his way to the front of the castle, where he saw a bright sign, with flashing lights. It read 'Poyozo Palace.' On each side was a glowing Poyozo. As he approached, a motion sensor sensed his miniature presence and started to play music.******

**"Hmmm... The Star Wars Main Title theme... the original John Williams piece... performed by the London Symphony Orchestra? Beautiful piece, but not in this dimension."******

** Spekkio sniffled.******

**"Brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it though... AHA! It's from the Phantom Menace! The Arrival at Naboo! The owner of this castle has been around!"******

** Spekkio shuffled over to the front doors of the castle, seeking entrance at the front door. He switched his shape to that of a Flunkie and opened the heavy wooden doors. The inside of the castle was just as white as the outside, and it was also illuminated by lamps and decorated with flowers. He walked forward, after shutting the door and changing his shape back to that of an Underling. He hopped inside slowly, listening for any hint of a person, but there was none. Until he heard a voice. It was singing.******

**"Now who on earth..."******

** From down the hall he saw a man slide across the floor wearing socks and underwear, and playing an air guitar.******

**"LEEETS DOOO THE TIME WARP AGAIIIIIIINNNNNN!!!!!!!!"******

** Spekkio thought to himself. "Time Warp? This one has seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show?"******

** The sound of the original song followed the man down the hallway towards Spekkio's location.******

**"It's just a jump to the left..."**   
**"AND THEN A STEP TO THE RIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"**   
**"Put your hands on your hips..."**   
**"AND BRING YOUR KNEES IN TIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"******

** Spekkio watched as the figure moved forward, dancing in tune with the Rocky Horror music. Spekkio could see where the music was coming from. He thought, "A Dimensional Media Crystal? The castle owner must be a magician!"******

**"LEEEEEEETS DO THE TIME WARP AGAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNN!!!!"******

** "Oh my goodness... this cannot be who I think it is..." Spekkio thought, as the figure approached. Spekkio's underling eyes could see better now. The Man's long hair swayed to and fro as he jumped, playing his air guitar. Spekkio watched and tried to hold his giggles as he watched the man dance. Suddenly, the music stopped.******

**"I am letting you live here because I am nice. Stop playing with my Media Crystal!"**   
**"Aww come on, Magus! I'm just getting the hang of this human body..."**   
**"Do you want to be a frog again? Hmm?"**   
**"No... I sounded funny when I was a frog. I talked like a weird person with that "thou and thee" junk..."**   
**"That's it! We battle now!"**   
**"Aww, Magus??? Come on... lets go have some Tequila. You're favorite!"**   
**"No! We fight!"**   
**"Tequila... Tequila..."**   
**"Te... No!"**   
**"Tequila!!!"**   
**"Ah... oh... all right..."**   
**"Good then."**   
**"But put some pants on. You don't walk around my castle with nothing on."**   
**"Fine then."******

** The Blue, darker figure took the floating crystal and walked back down the hallway, while the shorter, lesser-clothed figure made his way behind him.******

**"Well well well... I never knew this would be possible by any means..."******

** Spekkio sat, reminiscing about the darker figure.******

**"He I know... but who was the other one? Was that the punk haired kid? Where's Blondie?"******

** Spekkio hopped after the other two figures. He made his way into what was apparently a kitchen. He knew he was a large Underling, one that was relatively noticeable against white, but then again, who wouldn't be? Spekkio hopped swiftly to a sufficient hiding place, behind a large refrigerator. He watched in awe as Magus searched in and out through cupboards both high and low.******

**"Damn it! Who changed my castle anyway???"**   
**"You did, stupid."**   
**"I did not!"**   
**"You did too, when you were gay!"**   
**"Gay? What? You have got to be kidding me."**   
**"You were gay, and you served me tea! And you called yourself Ja--"**   
**"Say it and die, toad!"**   
**"Well there was tea!"**   
**"Whatever you say. Where's the damn tequila?"**   
**"Where do you usually keep your stash?"**   
**"In here. But it's gone! All I see is some French bubbly stuff. Ch-Cham Pag Nee."**   
**"Sham-pain," said the other figure, sounding the word out correctly. "Its pronounced Sham-Pain."**   
**"Don't correct me! Stupid French crap..."**   
**"Try some, that has alcohol in it."**   
**"Ohh... I'm not in the mood. That's it."**   
**"Oh fine, just give up."**   
**"Shut it, slime ball."******

** The figure gave him a raspberry.******

**"What is with you? You were much more reserved and polite as a frog!"******

** Spekkio thought. "A FROG? THAT WAS FROG? DAMN! He isn't bad looking! I'll bet the girls would fall for him."******

**"I am polite. Just not around you."**   
**"Oh... arrrr.............. hm. I'm going to watch the Media Crystal. I think Sex and the City is on."**   
**"What?"**   
**"It's this show. Borderline pornography, but its funny."**   
**"Ooh! Naked girls!"**   
**"Oh grow up..."******

** Magus grabbed the crystal which rested on the table and made his way down the hall opposite of the kitchen, into another large hallway, which turned again at the end. Spekkio followed from a distance, jumping in and out doorways to block himself from sight as Magus and the newly discovered Glenn walked. They turned into a dark room where Magus flicked the crystal into gear, and it started glowing.******

**"Whoa..."**   
**"Whoa what?"**   
**"That girl has big thingies... huh... huh-huh..."**   
**"Oh shut up. Don't start with that kid talk. And don't even think about whipping it out!"**   
**"Well... Men have needs! Do you know how long it's been since I've had a girl?"**   
**"I don't know and I don't care to know. Take it to another castle if that's what you plan on doing here!"******

** Magus flicked another switch on the bottom of the floating crystal. He flicked it a couple of times, until he reached a channel with some familiar characters.******

**"Oh! That's Rocky Horror again! Ooh! Ooh!"**   
**"Shut up, man. I'm not interested in seeing Tim Curry in leather!"******

** Magus angrily flicked the switch again.******

**"Ah... much better..."**   
**"What is this, Magus?"**   
**"Something worth watching. Its called Dragonball Z."**   
**"Wow, that spiky haired dude looks familiar..."**   
**"I know, the similarity between us and these cartoons is absolutely frightening."**   
**"Change it. I don't feel like watching cartoons."******

** Magus hesitated, then pushed the switch again.******

**"The Man Show."**   
**"Sound's good."**   
**"You know, I always keep some beers in the fridge. Go grab a couple."**   
**"Why me? I never saw the show before."**   
**"Get the beers or go to bed."**   
**"Fine..."******

** Meanwhile, Spekkio watched from behind a dresser. "They're acting like frat boys..." He watched as Glenn returned with two small brown bottles and a bottle opener. Glenn handed Magus an open bottle and sat down next to him.******

**"Juggy Dancers."**   
**"Now that is something to look at!"**   
**"Like I said before, don't even---"**   
**"Think about it, I know."**   
**"Good."******

** Spekkio sighed. "I can take no more of this. I cannot help but laugh! I'm out of here..."******

** Spekkio jumped from his location and scurried toward the light of the doorway.******

**"What was that?"**   
**"Juggy Dancers... yummy..."******

** Magus stood and pushed aside the drooling Glenn as he followed the scurrying figure across the floor. He watched as the unsuspecting figure scampered across the ground, snuck up on it, and grabbed it.******

**"Gotcha! It's a frog! How fitting!"**   
**"I'm an Underling, Magus. I'm surprised you don't remember me."**   
**"You talk? Well. I'll just have to smash your little smart froggy brain anyhow..."******

** Glenn emerged from the dark room, beer in hand.******

**"What's that? An Underling? Oh dear... Are you who I think you are?"**   
**Spekkio retorted. "Are you who I think you are?"**   
**"Spekkio! What are you doing in this era?"**   
**"Spekkio?" Asked Magus. "Oh, you... the 'God of War'..."******

** Magus dropped Spekkio to the ground as his form changed due to the two men in his vicinity. His body expanded and grew, as he ballooned into a red Nu.******

**"Aren't you supposed to be in the End of Time?" asked Glenn.**   
**"Yeah, Gaspar kicked me out."**   
**"Why?"**   
**"Because I liked my name."**   
**"Your name sucks, Spekkio." said Magus.**   
**"Oh hush."**   
**"So now you're looking to get back?"**   
**"Hey, I could stay here."**   
**"Not on your life!" said Magus.**   
**"That's okay, I live forever." retorted Spekkio, smiling. "This form is making me tired though... Nus do sleep a lot...."******

** Spekkio dozed off, while Magus sneered.******

**"First you, then him. Who else? Lucca and Marle?"**   
**"Hey, bring the girls, have a party!"**   
**"Quit thinking with your pants!"**   
**"Sorry! Sorry! I'm going to bed! Jeez... hey, what's upstairs?"**   
**"Don't go near the locked room!"**   
**"What room?"**   
**"Nevermind..."******

** Glenn turned and left. Magus looked forlornly at the sleeping Spekkio Nu. He poked it several times and slapped it once, to no avail. Angered, he left Spekkio there, to retire to his own bedroom.******

*** * *******

**"This bed is so... lumpy!"******

** Glenn rolled around on his bed, trying to get to sleep. Across from his room was Magus's. He could hear Magus snoring loudly, and it wasn't helping him sleep any. He decided to take a look around the castle, see the rooms he never saw before. Maybe even that locked room Magus never told him to enter...******

** Glenn stood and threw on some socks and pants to help him stay quiet. He snuck quietly up a set of stairs, to a hallway. The walls were glowing, and Glenn's eyes adjusted to the night vision quickly.******

**"Okay..."******

** He turned into the first room on his left. There was a bed in the center of the room, with windows on the far wall. Glenn looked out the window. It showed the courtyard below.******

**"Courtyard? Magus has a courtyard? With a gazebo? He's gay, all right..."******

** Glenn left the room and approached another. It looked exactly the same as the first. Glenn decided to give up the search through all the rooms and make his way to that locked one...******

** He made his way down the hall to the room that was at the very end. Of all the rooms in the castle, this one was the only one that remained with a black wall and old wooden door. It was dark and creepy. Glenn approached slowly, taking the doorknob in his hand carefully. He turned it slowly and heard it click. It was locked. He turned it in the other direction to make sure. That was when it made a different click. The lock had been already broken, and the door creaked open. There was a sight that was so bright... Glenn's eyes widened as he beheld the only object he could never imagine Magus using...******

**A guitar.******

**It was a very shiny guitar, surrounded by carefully placed lights. It looked futuristic... it was a more advanced guitar, something Glenn had never seen before. It was red, a dark, sexy red, the color of a woman's lipstick. It was sparkling, too. Around the sides were some stickers, some of them dark faces, others pictures that looked like tattoos. The length of the guitar extended smoothly, the strings long and unworn, all the way up to the top, where there were small prongs for tuning. Glenn hadn't known the names of any of the pieces, because he never studied guitars. He only knew what they were. But this one wasn't like any of the guitars he had ever seen before. The ones of his era were simple and brown. This one was wild.******

**Glenn approached the glimmering instrument, eyeing its smoothness... its shining surface... he touched it carefully as if it were the most fragile thing in the world... he lifted it slowly, holding it to himself, as he tried to imitate how he had seen others hold regular guitars. He held it to his stomach. It was awkward, but surprisingly light. He stroked the strings carefully, playing with it... he had no idea how to hold it but he tried... until a hand suddenly grabbed the end of the guitar and pulled it from Glenn's grasp.******

**"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO APPROACH HERE!"**   
**"I... uh... well... he he he.."**   
**"OOH! Mmmm...."******

** Magus's figure could be seen with the lights coming from the stand that held the guitar originally. He held it in front of him carefully, inspecting the instrument for any marks or strains on its figure.******

**"You are so lucky that this guitar is safe or I might just kill you..."**   
**"Since when did you play the guitar?"**   
**"Not for a long time, Glenn... not for a long time..."******

** Magus found a strap on the back of the guitar and loosened it. Glenn hadn't seen the strap before. He watched as Magus put the strap over his shoulder.******

**"How do you hold it?'**   
**"Well... you put on hand on this part over here... and the base of it goes lower than you had it, against your crotch, like so."******

** Magus positioned the guitar carefully. Glenn could see him glowing, his eyes emotional as he held the guitar. It was as if Magus became a different person behind his instrument...******

**"Were you an good?"**   
**"Any good? I was the best! Well, second best..."**   
**"Then why haven't I heard of you?"**   
**"Because I was outlawed. That was one of the reasons the war started..."**   
**"The wars started over music? What are you talking about? The wars started when your little trashy civilization got greedy and felt like taking us over!"**   
**"Sure. You're a clueless bastard, you know that? This was what happened. See, we were a band, Ozzie, Flea, Slash and me... we were real good, too... all the mystics loved us, concerts were always sold out... then we started to play for the humans. Even though your kind forced my people into hiding well before I ever landed in this time..."**   
**"I've not a clue what you're talking about..."**   
**"Anyway, we took Choras by storm... the girls... ohhh the girls... and I was only seventeen... and it was girls, girls, and more girls... and the parents didn't like us any, so the mayor refused to let us play anymore. Word got out to the king, and the use of our equipment was outlawed. This item is revolutionary... before its time... but they wouldn't allow it to be used anymore... ohh... but the sound she makes..."******

** Magus reminisced, his eyes becoming foggy. He brushed his fingers across the strings, making a smooth sound.******

**"That sounds like any old guitar."**   
**"She's not any old guitar! Just wait till I hook her up... but I can't... I won't... she's still illegal, as well as the amplifiers and speakers that go with her... that was how the war started... the mystics demanded that they get the world back, and they made me the leader, and thus... a war."**   
**"If that's so true then what was my reason for joining the war effort?"**   
**"Licking Cyrus's boots like the swine you are."**   
**"Don't tempt me, you moron... I may not have my accent, but I still have what it takes to beat you..."**   
**"Would you like to fight?"**   
**"Maybe after a round of tequila, alright? Later."******

** Magus sighed, and took the guitar off him, laying it back on its glowing stand. He wiped his forehead and ushered Glenn out the door.******

**"You tell anyone about this, and I'll murder you. Understand?"**   
**"Yah! Yah! Okay!"**   
**"Get your ass to your room and sleep!"******

** Glenn made his way to his room, listening carefully as Magus sighed and started to hum a slight tune from his room.******

**"Hmm.... I sense a reunion tour..."**   
****


	2. Parts 2 and 3 (my, isn't that original)

The Gift of Song, Parts 2 and 3

By The Storyteller (Aylakat)   
  
  


It was early morning. Glenn was awake promptly with the sun, strolling through the castle as he hunted for his breakfast. He kept thinking about the guitar, its pretty red color, the way Magus held it… he was intrigued. What did it sound like when it was hooked up to those machines? Squeezing through the hallway that was half taken up by Spekkio's large Nu bulk, he made his way into the illuminated kitchen. He spotted the Media Crystal, sitting quietly on the kitchen table. It had been moved. He took the large round crystal and examined it. Finding a little black switch on the bottom, he turned it on.

"Huh huh-huh"   
"Heh-heh Metallica rules! It rules!"   
"Shut up, buttmunch!"

Glenn watched the crystal as two odd looking animated characters laughed endlessly.

"How stupid!"

Then they played a solid guitar theme, as the two faces looked at each other from the side, laughing. The theme didn't sound normal though. It sounded… enhanced.

"Is this what the guitar sounds like with those machines hooked up?"

Glenn looked around for an answer, and then realized nobody was there, except for the sleeping Spekkio.

"THAT'S IT!"

He walked over to Spekkio and stomped on his Nu foot. Spekkio didn't move.

"WAKE UP!"

He bonked him in the head. Nothing still. Then he remembered a little trick from the Zeal kingdom… he found the Nu's scratch spot on its back and scratched it furiously.

"AH! AH! Oooh… What! What! Why'd you have to wake me?"   
"Because you're annoying."   
"Fine. I'll move."   
"No, just stay awake."   
"No! Nus have a natural affinity for sleep. They, or we, need more sleep than any other creature in existence."   
"Spekkio, I think I need your help. I need to put on a concert, to get an old band back together."   
"Who? Why?"   
"Magus's band. I want to hear what they sound like."   
"Since when do you know about the band? That's classified information! Nobody knows about that but the Mystics."   
"I heard from the front man. He told me about it last night. I can't say I believe him..."   
"Your best friend had to die in a war over song. Wonderful, the truth is out now. And yes, humans forced Mystics into hiding hundreds of years ago. Wonderful unknown history your people have..."   
"Really?"   
"Yes. Now... what do you want me to do?"   
"I want you to go and warm him up to the idea... he won't listen to me, he hates me."   
"Like that is a surprise... well, I'll have to see, Magus isn't the warm friendly type, and he certainly isn't impressionable at this stage of his life..."   
"Yes! A stage! We need a stage..."

Glenn sat and thought to himself in silence, until he heard a sudden roar from behind him. The loud sound was frightening at first, but it died away slowly. Glenn tried to follow the noise but he was too late, the sound was gone.

"That was weird..."

A sudden knock came at the front door. Glenn, still wearing only what he wore the night before, was unsure of whether to answer it.

"I ain't getting it, Glenn. Whoever is there will run away at the sight of my big red bum, that's for sure..."   
"Oh! Fine! I'll get it. Sure, just have me freeze from the ice-cold weather since I have no shirt on. Fine..."   
"Its summer. Get the door."   
"Yah... sure..."

Glenn walked toward the front door and opened it carefully. Peeking outward, he noticed a face of equal height to his peek inward.

"Glenn?"   
"Lucca?"   
"Let us in, man!"   
"Fine..."

Glenn opened the door, revealing Lucca, Marle, and Crono.

"Well well well, Glenn... not wearing much are we...?" said a smiling Marle, who stared at his formed chest.   
"What are you doing at Magus's place?" asked Lucca.

Crono started to giggle.

"Not a word out of you, little punk man!"

Crono made a look, as if to say "as usual."

"Yeah, Glenn, what are you doing here, with no clothes on?"   
"I convinced Magus to let me stay here since I can't live in the Haunted Woods anymore."   
"How'd you go about and do that?"   
"Well, you find a man's weak point, you take control of the man... he has an affinity for booze, which is much to my advantage."

The loud sound boomed again, louder, and it startled everyone. The sound vibrated through the walls and floors, and could be felt under Glenn's socked feet. This time, the sounds continued, each time a different note, each equally as loud. It sounded as if it were... music!

"What the hell is that?" asked Marle.   
"Well, if it's what I think it is, I wasn't expecting it..." replied Glenn, smiling.

Lucca made her way past Glenn quickly, to find the source of the sound. Crono was about to speak, but Glenn saw this...

"I said not a word!"

He shrugged. Lucca followed the sound carefully, making her way in and out through rooms in a stupor, until she made her way upstairs... she then heard a voice, a sweet soft voice, singing along with the notes...

"MAGUS!"   
"Mama.... oooooooooooh... I don't wanna die... sometimes I wish I'd never been born at all.."

His eyes were closed softly, as if he were almost feeling the words he said.

"Carry on.... carry on.... nothing really matters......."   
"Wowie! Since when did you sing so nicely?"   
"Hmm... a long time ago..."   
"What? You're not going to snap at me? Wow... that guitar must be some kind of drug..."

Magus opened his eyes and gazed at Lucca.

"It's like nothing you've ever felt before."

Lucca watched as he held the guitar carefully in his lap. It was enhanced indeed, hooked up to what looked like an amplifier, plugged up to an electric generator.

"Where'd you get this equipment?"   
"We've had it for years. It's a mystic secret."   
"No kidding. Stuff like this was just invented in our time! I used an amplifier like that on BeBo!"   
"Hmm... BeBo... I remember what it sung... I didn't like it. It needed more to it."   
"Wow... this is like natural to you, isn't it. I find that amazing."   
"Why, because I'm so evil?"   
"You have more sides to you than you let on..." said Lucca, remembering what Glenn had told them about Magus's... transformation... "...and it seems you have a talent that should have surfaced ages ago. What was the name of the song you were singing?"   
"It's called the Bohemian Rhapsody, by this group called Queen."   
"Not by you? You didn't write it?"   
"I'm not much of a songwriter, I just play what I hear on the Media Crystal."   
"No kidding..." said Lucca, who became less excited at the discovery of Magus when she heard he didn't write his own songs.

Glenn, Crono, and Marle approached from the rear. Marle's jaw dropped when she saw Magus, guitar in hand.

"Since when was this going on? You? Rock star?"   
"Twelve years ago."   
"Damn! Play something! Play it!"

Magus sighed softly, and began to play the guitar roughly, a different song as before. Glenn listened intently, recognizing each note.

"That's that theme from that show!" yelped Glenn   
"Beavis and Butthead?" replied Magus.   
"The one with those two people laughing a whole lot! The one with that blond kid that pulls his shirt over his head and yells that he's Cornholio!"   
"Beavis and Butthead." Magus said, as softly as last time.   
"The one where they sit on the couch and eat nachos and watch this little box that has people inside playing guitars like that one!"   
"BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD!" Marle and Lucca screamed in unison.   
"Jesus, Glenn? What happened to your knightly attitude? You were so polite, and so... adult!" scolded Marle, annoyed.   
"It went with the figure..."

Glenn smiled meekly. Magus started to play the song again.

"That sounds so cool!" said Marle.   
"Thank you." replied Magus, soft voiced once again.   
"Oh dear God, Lucca, hell has frozen over... Magus said something polite!" giggled Marle.

Magus sighed and brought the guitar to his chest, holding it like a child.

"Oh my red guitar... the sweet sound you sing to me... melts my soul away..."   
"POETRY! He just did a haiku!" yelped Marle, her eyes bugging out wild.   
"Wow... such inspired work..." sighed Lucca, softly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Spekkio, who heard all the commotion from the lower floor, decided that if Glenn wanted a reunion tour, it couldn't all be done by Magus. The original team had its drummer, Ozzie, its base guitarist, Slash, and its backup guitarist, pianist, and vocalist, Flea. Spekkio took it upon himself to travel to Ozzie's Fort, a place he was relatively fond of. After watching the three of them bicker with each other constantly, Spekkio realized that if he was ever downtrodden all he needed was to watch a few minutes of them in battle, and he'd be laughing again...

"Well well well... the legendary "Master of War..." said Flea, giggling.   
"I prefer to be called the God of War, now..."   
"Sorry dude, you don't look much like Aries. You look more like... an Omnicrone!"   
"Well, that's your fault."   
"What?"   
"Listen, Flea, put it this way. I know about the whole band deal."   
"What band deal?"   
"The band you guys had! The Tone-Deaf Evil Fiends!"   
"How did you know about that?" asked Slash, who approached from behind.   
"I lived in the cornerstone of creation, man! The End of Time!"   
"The End of Time... what a riot!"   
"Shut up Slash, this man knows what he's talking about." sneered Ozzie, who approached Spekkio from the side opposite of Slash.   
"So come on, guys, are you in?"   
"I'm not! I don't remember any of this!" yelped Flea.   
"You don't remember much from back then, for a lot of reasons. Those days were glorious, though... me... you... Ozz in the back, Magus in the front... those were the days..."   
"The days of Janus Lightning..." added Ozzie, sighing. "Janus Lightning, Magus's stage name... say, what did they do to ya, Flea? Did they give you a lobotomy along with that boob job?"   
"It was a breast augmentation, and no, no brain surgery! I just don't remember anything about a band..."

Spekkio sighed.

"How can you not remember, Flea? Remember that one show, when you dove off the stage and the crowd carried you around? And they banged your head on the speakers and opened up your skull?" said Slash.   
"No."   
"Slash, that's why he doesn't remember! His head got busted!" yelled Ozzie, remembering the day. "Go get him one of the old guitars. Maybe he'll remember it all then!"   
"I'm getting his guitar. He ain't touching mine!"

Slash ran off to go find the hidden stash of musical equipment. It was in a very secret place, hidden very near the hiding place of the Doomsickle, but not near the Gloom Helm. It was south of the hidden Magic Tab, and to the left of the Infinite Improbability Drive, which was the energy source for the entire fort. It was a secret place indeed.

"Well, mister Spekkio, if we're to get back together, we have a problem. Flea's strong point was that he used to go on stage wearing nothing but his underwear! That would be illegal now..."   
"I may have a nice bust but it doesn't make me any less of a man!"   
"I didn't say that, Flea. I just said you can't go onstage in underwear anymore."   
"Why not?"   
"Because its indecent!"   
"Since when were we ever decent?"   
"Since Magus beat the crap out of us right here in this fort..."

Spekkio listened to this and started to giggle. Their conversations were always hilarious!

"What are you laughing at!"   
"Yeah! That's not funny!"   
"Yes it is." Spekkio said, still giggling.

Slash came back with a guitar of the like that shocked Spekkio. It was long, and pink. The base of it was a giant heart, pink. It was simple, but not very… masculine.

"This is it. Try it out, Flea."

Flea took the guitar carefully in his hand and held it perfectly in position… the feeling of the instrument overwhelmed him, and he started to play… his eyes shut and he went into a trance like state. He started to play a theme… a sad theme…

"I think that's One, by Metallica. And he's playing it with his bare fingers." said Slash.   
"Okay Flea, are you in?" asked Ozzie

Flea kept going on.

"Flea! Are you in or what?" asked Ozzie, angered.

Flea kept on, the sounds getting eventually faster… but they were barely recognizable due to the lack of amplification… it went faster and faster… then bang! Flea started to play the fastest and roughest part furiously…

"Flea! Wake up!"

Slash lost his cool, walked over to Flea, and snatched the guitar from his hands.

"Ooh…" said Flea, as if waking from hypnosis. "What the hell was that?"   
"That was you playing like the wind, Flea, too bad it wasn't hooked up!" said Ozzie laughing.   
"I'm still a little squeamish about this band idea…"   
"He's in, mister Spekkio." said Ozzie, smiling.   
"Well then, we have work to do…"

_____Part_____3_______________________________

"You three…"   
"Eh… hello Magus… how have you been?" said Ozzie, weakly.   
"Fine."

Ozzie shuddered. Magus stood tall and angry, his face as cold as ice. The word seemed to boom loudly and reverberate throughout the halls of the Poyozo Palace.

"So… I suppose we all should be practicing now…"   
"What makes you think I like this reunion idea?"   
"Well… I mean mister Spekkio…"   
"Since when was Spekkio here?" asked Marle, who stood behind Magus, along with Lucca, Glenn, and Crono.   
"Umm… well… Spekkio said we should get back together…"   
"Since when does Spekkio know what he's talking about?" said Magus, like a wise-ass.   
"Since I'm the God of War!"   
"You're not the God of War. You're the Master of War." said Magus once again.   
"I've been promoted to God of War."

Slash sighed angrily.

"Back to the point here? Please? Magus, we got the equipment, we've spread the word, all we need is good old Janus Lightning back on stage…"   
"JANUS LIGHTNING?" said Marle, roaring with laughter. "His name was Janus Lightning? How cheap is that?"

Magus snarled at her.

"EEE… fine then. Janus Lightning… he he he…"   
"Okay, Slash, Flea, Ozzie… I'll do it. But only the original songs! None of this new stuff I've been watching on the Media Crystal. None of this Marilyn Manson, Hanson, or any of that crap! Just the good stuff. The old stuff."   
"Fine with us, Magus. We can't play any of this new stuff anyway, and that stuff scares me…"   
"What, Marilyn Manson?"   
"No, Hanson… I swear, those kids are demons!"

* * *

It took a few weeks of work and a lot of trips with the Epoch. Lucca was in charge of designing the equipment and the stage, a daunting task. Crono and Glenn were in charge of building it. The Epoch became the transportation for all materials needed for all tasks, not to mention the rides home Crono, Marle, and Lucca needed to keep their parents worry free. They set it up near the palace, covered by hundreds of Omnicrones acting as bodyguards. Spekkio became the band manager, and oversaw the practices that occurred between the four of them, Ozzie, Flea, Slash, and now, J.L., as Magus preferred to be called. He also did most of the advertising, making sure word was out but only to the younger crowd, staying careful in case anyone from Guardia Castle heard about it. During breaks, Lucca and Marle (who made sure the Media Crystal stayed safe at all times) would go to see them play.

"They're weak, Marle. Really weak. There's no fire in them."   
"I know. Magus just stands there. He's supposed to be the lead! Put on a performance, Magus!"

He flipped her the finger and went back to playing Nirvana.

"How rude!"   
"What do you expect, Marle? He may be named J.L. now, but he's still Magus… gay or no…"

Magus stopped playing immediately.

"I'm not gay! I am not gay!"   
"Oh come on… just come out of the closet, Magus, be a man!"   
"I am not gay! Flea is gay! I'm not gay!"   
"Gay? You calling me gay? You fag!"

Lucca started laughing.

"Fag fight!"   
"Shut up Lucca!" yelled Magus, in rage.   
"Oh, shove it, you big sissy!"   
"What, you're calling me a sissy now? Eh? You little tramp."   
"You're calling me a tramp now? Hello, I designed your equipment. You should worship the ground I walk on!"   
"Worship this, bitch!"   
"No. You did not just call me that. You did not just call me that!"   
"Well I did. Now get your little ass out of my castle!"   
"Fine!"

Lucca took Marle's hand and left.

"Wow, Lucca, you really got him pissed off…"   
"See? Now that's fire for ya. If he can just do that behind a microphone, he's set for life."

* * *

Concert night came. Word had been spread throughout the Mystic community, as well as in Choras. The word was spread quietly among the teenagers…

"Yo! J.L.! Get your little prepped ass out here!"   
"Shove it, Lucca!"   
"Oh shove this! Get your guitar and get your butt out there! What are you wearing? Nice, baggy jeans and a white shirt. You look like crap! You play like crap, too!"   
"Play like crap? You say I play like crap? I'll show you crap, bitch!"

Magus stormed on stage. Hundreds of mystics had gathered, among drunken teenagers who were anxious to see what the hype was all about, and whether or not it was worth sneaking out of their homes in the middle of the night.

"Wake up you little assholes! You! Get that pipe out of your mouth… you're here to listen to me, not to get stoned on the funny stuff!"

Hundreds of boos came from the crowd.

"Oh man, Marle, he's screwed…"   
"Come on! Let's go around front. We can't see anything from backstage!"

Lucca and Marle ran around front, pushing their way through crowds of mystics and kids. They stood just below Magus, who yelled into the microphone.

"Shut up! Shut your mouths and listen to this!"

He positioned his guitar pick between his fingers and ran it roughly down the strings, creating a very loud amplified guitar sound.

"You like that?"

He started to play a simple theme, a small warm up for the crowd. The cheers started to return with each note.

"Okay asses, we're starting with one of my favorites, and I don't care what you think about it because I happen to like it!"

He signaled the other three band members, who started to play one of the songs practiced, One by Metallica. His fingers plucked the strings carefully, playing each note carefully and loudly, so he could be heard above Flea's second guitar part, and Slash's bass. The slow, somewhat mellow notes rung out through the crowd. The vocals started off somewhat soft, but where said strongly when needed…

"I can't remember anything…   
Can't tell if this is true or dream…   
Deep down inside I feel to scream   
This terrible silence stops me…"

"He's got a terrific voice! Lucca, listen to his voice!"   
"I know! Wow!"

"Now that the war is through with me…   
I'm waking up, I cannot see…   
That there's not much left of me…   
Nothing is real but pain now…

Hold my breath as I wish for death…   
Oh please God, Wake me!"

"Look at him, Lucca… he's playing pretty harsh… and sweating like crazy!"   
"He has the most beautiful voice…"

"Back in the womb it's much too real…   
In pumps life that I must feel…   
But can't look forward to reveal…   
Look to the time when I'll live…

Fed through the tube that sticks in me…   
Just like a wartime novelty…   
Tied to machines that make me be…   
Cut this life off from me…

Hold my breath as I wish for death…   
Oh please God, Wake me!"

Magus started bobbing his head softly to the tune of the music, his sweaty hair flying all over, some sticking to his head, others giving off sprays that landed in the audience… he stopped and held the microphone tightly with both of his hands…

"Now the world is gone I'm just one…   
Oh God, Help me… Hold my breath as I wish for death   
Oh please God, Help me!!!"

Magus stopped playing. The song changed. He let his guitar hang at his side while he took his shirt by the collar and ripped it off, revealing his muscular chest and abs.

"Lucca! He's shirtless! I've never seen this before!"

Lucca was in a trance, staring at Magus as he began to sing again… harder, angrier…

"DARKNESS!   
IMPRISONING ME   
ALL THAT I SEE   
ABSOLUTE HORROR   
I CANNOT LIVE   
I CANNOT DIE   
TRAPPED IN MYSELF   
BODY MY HOLDING CELL…"

He watched Lucca's gaze as he took the microphone in his hand and walked to her, kneeling before her… He grinned at her, as she slowly lifted her arms… he played with her, moving closer to her face… she could feel his breath on her face as her arms reached to grab him… and he yelled at her.

"LANDMINE!   
HAS TAKEN MY SIGHT   
TAKEN MY SPEECH   
TAKEN MY HEARING   
TAKEN MY ARMS   
TAKEN MY LEGS   
TAKEN MY SOUL   
LEFT ME WITH LIFE IN HEEEEEEEELLL!!!!!!"

Lucca gasped in surprise as Magus screamed these words at her, grinning angrily… she stared into his dark eyes as he sung. He took the microphone away from his lips…

"You like that? Hmm?"

He then stood and grabbed his guitar again, and turned and walked back toward the drums…

"He's got broad shoulders and a nice back… and ooh! Lower…"

Lucca couldn't hear Marle's ravings about Magus's body, as she was still entranced, her arms still hanging in the air.

All eyes went to Flea when a sudden burst of high pitched guitar notes screamed from his location, at speeds unfathomable… and then it was Ozzie's drumming banging harshly… and then Slash's base rung forth with a deep angry sound. And half a minute after that, the song was over.

"Lucca! Lucca! Wake up!"   
"Uhh… ohh… where… him…"   
"Man, you were out of it! You were trying to grab him!"

Magus turned and faced the crowd again, putting his guitar at his side.

"DAMN! Look at his abs! Look at his abs!!!"   
"I see it… I see it…"   
"Ouch baby… ooh!"

Marle laughed loudly along with the cheering crowd, aching for more.

Magus played several songs that night, each one sung with more and more soul. He went on into songs like Sweet Child O' Mine from Guns N' Roses, Crazy Train from Ozzie Osborn (that Ozzie was hesitant to do ever since he met the song's creator...), Soundgarden's Spoon Man, and more, like songs from Queen and Kiss. He ended off the concert with the darkest version of Iron Butterfly's Ina Godda Da Vida that ever existed.

When the crowd left (and the female fans stopped trying to get at shreds of Magus's clothing) Magus left, worn out and very tired. Glenn, Crono, Marle, and Lucca spent their time dismembering the equipment, while Spekkio ushered Ozzie, Flea, and Slash back to their fort.

"Lucca, you were out of it for the entire show!"

Lucca snarled somewhat, realizing that Magus was aiming to embarrass her the entire time.

"Man, your arms were in the air the whole concert, trying to grab him... but I don't blame you..."

She was silent, and kept on stacking various items.

"Did you see him? I didn't know he was that ripped! And his voice... so deep..."   
"JUST SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"   
"Relax! Relax!"   
"He was taunting me! He was shoving it in my face!"   
"Shoving what?"   
"That he was good! He was damn good! And he was trying to say I was wrong!"   
"Well, you were wrong. You just contradicted yourself by saying he was good."   
"But he is, Marle..."   
"So you were wrong."   
"Was not!"   
"Was too!"   
"Could you both pipe down? The concert is over, you don't have to scream." said Glenn, annoyed.   
"Glenn, what ever happened to you? You were so polite as a frog!" yelled Marle.   
"It went with the figure, for the hundredth time!"   
"That's it, Marle. I can't stand it. I'm going to get him."

Lucca left in a flash.

"Glenn... I have a bad feeling about her..."   
"I know... I have the feeling only one person is going to make it out of there alive..."   
"And this band can't afford losing their lead singer."   
"I was taking about Magus... he may have not used much of it lately, but he still has that dark magic..."   
"Glenn, have you ever seen a woman in anger?"   
"Well, Lucca was just angry..."   
"No. You will see Lucca's anger when Magus's head winds up five feet from his body."

* * *

Magus relaxed in his bed, showered and dressed to sleep. It was a hard night, but it was worth it... he had proved that he was good, real good. And not even Lucca could take that from him. He rocked the crowd. Now he just prayed that the word wouldn't get back to the king that the equipment was still operational, and that he had used it. He settled back and closed his eyes, thinking about the day's events...

Man, he really showed it to Lucca when he got in her face...

Suddenly, a door slammed shut.

"You PIG!"   
"Who... Lucca!"   
"You just had to shove it in my face didn't you... wait!"   
"Huh?"   
"That didn't sound right... I mean, why'd ya have to be so hot? No!"   
"You're confusing."   
"ACK! SCREW IT!"

She ran and jumped him in the bed. At first, Magus tried to defend himself from her raging claws and bites... until he realized she was kissing him.

Needless to say, both of them had a wild night...


	3. Part 4... the morning after

"You've got to be kidding me." 

Lucca sat up. The sun was shining brightly through the windows in the white walled room. 

"No way." 

She looked over to her side. To her left, was a figure sleeping. His tousled blue hair rested on a soft pillow... 

"NOOOO!!!" 

The scream startled the sleeping Magus, shaking him awake. 

"What? What?"   
"What? What do you mean what? You jackass!"   
"Who are you calling a jackass!"   
"You! You lured me in here! I can't believe you!"   
"I didn't lure you in here, you jumped me!"   
"I did no such thing!" 

She jumped out of the bed, grabbed her clothes up from the floor, and ran out. 

"Man... she's uptight..." 

* * * 

Lucca walked swiftly down the hallway, cursing under her breath as she stumbled into her outfit. 

"I can't believe him... absolute pig!"   
"Morning Lucca."   
"MARLE!" 

Marle approached from the kitchen, after hearing Lucca's quiet rantings. 

"So, Lucca, had yourself a wild night, eh?"   
"What? No!"   
"What's it like being with a rock star?"   
"He's not a rock star..."   
"Yes he is. Come on! Explain! You are so lucky... I would have jumped at the chance..." 

Marle laughed, and then looked behind her. There was Crono standing in the kitchen. She had forgotten he was there. He was tapping his foot, and his arms were crossed, and a look of discomfort was planted on his face. 

"What's wrong, Crono?" 

He almost spoke when Marle interrupted him. 

"Don't even say it Crono. Once doesn't count." 

He looked angry, turned, and left. 

"So Lucca... come on, tell me!"   
"Tell you what?"   
"Come on... everything..."   
"There's nothing to tell."   
"Yes there is!"   
"Shut up, Marle..." 

* * * 

Crono walked outside, smelling the somewhat fresh air... fragrant with flowers... and something else tickled his nose as he sniffed the wind... 

Weed. 

Crono walked around the front of the castle, gazing at the once beautiful grassy plain, which was now covered with garbage. He wasn't depressed though, he was actually quite content. They had put on a good show, something that Magus could be proud of. And it didn't hurt anyone, either. 

"Hey, Crono!" 

Glenn called from the distance. He walked toward Crono, who stood silently. 

"What's up?" 

Crono shrugged. 

"How's it with you and Marle?" 

Crono sighed. 

"Hey, man... do you mind if I ask her out?" 

Crono looked at Glenn in disbelief. 

"I know... she's yours... what about Lucca?" 

Crono gave him a look, as if asking why. 

"Crono, do you know how old I am?" 

Crono shook his head. 

"I'm 23." 

Crono nodded, not understanding the meaning. He realized that Glenn looked older than he did, but what was the point? 

"Ten years ago, Magus turned me into a frog. Girls aren't fond of frogs." 

Crono suddenly understood what he was talking about then. 

"I need a girlfriend! I was thirteen when everything happened..." 

Crono suddenly burst into laughter. 

"What? What's so funny! What? Are you laughing at me because..." 

Crono nodded, still laughing. 

"You know, Crono, I thought we were buddies. I thought I could tell you I was a virgin without you breaking into laughter. I'm trusting you not to tell anyone!" 

Crono nodded again, reassuring that his secret would be kept. 

"I really need a girlfriend, Crono. But I'm scared! I never had my teenage years to go through this." 

Crono put his arm around Glenn's shoulder, after reaching down to the ground to pick up a small yellow dandelion. He handed it to Glenn. 

"I'm not getting this signal, Crono. What are you trying to tell me? I mean, I don't go that way..." 

Crono shook his head. He pointed the flower toward the heavy wooden doors. 

"Oh... give flowers to the girls... okay!" 

Glenn started to leave. 

"I'd better go find some better flowers though... Crono, promise me, you won't tell anyone at all!" 

Crono gave him a look as if to say "Do I ever say anything?" 

* * * 

Lucca sat in the kitchen at the table, staring at the wall. Marle paced around her, watching her eyes carefully. 

"I don't get it Lucca. You didn't do anything? Anything? That's a first... I mean, if I were you, I would have done something. I mean Magus... or J.L. is a celebrity now. Doing him is a rare opportunity!"   
"Shut up, Marle!"   
"Lucca, come on. You're an adult. Adults do things."   
"Just go away... I have a headache."   
"From what? AHA! Banging your head against the headboard?"   
"Marle, I swear, don't mess with me today. I'm not in a good mood."   
"Fine. I'll be outside." 

* * * 

"She did it, Crono." 

Crono gave her a look as if to say "What do I care?" 

"She's in a mood now. I don't know why. I'd be happy!" 

Crono frowned. 

"Hey! Marle!" 

Glenn came running toward her, with a bundle of flowers in his hand. 

"Who are those for?"   
"For Lucca... but don't tell anyone!"   
"Well, she's in the kitchen, and she's in a mood. Stay wary!"   
"Well, I hope these will cheer her up... ohh I'm so excited... I might finally get a girlfriend!" 

Glenn walked inside the castle. 

"What's he talking about? Wait, no, don't tell me. I probably don't want to hear." 

Crono 's shoulders sunk. He thought, "Like I ever speak..." 

* * * 

Meanwhile, Lucca sat in the kitchen, looking forlornly at the table. Had she really done it? With him? Of all people... 

Magus then strolled into the kitchen, humming the theme from Star Wars, as if to claim a victory... 

"What the hell are you doing here? Get out!"   
"This is my castle, Lucca. If anyone should leave, it should be you."   
"Please. I can barely move." 

Magus smiled. 

"And it's not because of you! You pig..."   
"Oh come on, Lucca. Yes, I know its hard to realize that you slept with me, the one and only..."   
"Oh please, J.L. It wasn't even good."   
"You lie!"   
"I do not! In fact, a certain song comes to mind when I think about last night..."   
"And what might that be?"   
"The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout..." Lucca sang, smiling.   
"You wouldn't dare..."   
"Want to hear another one?" 

Lucca stood up from her chair. 

"It's an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow--"   
"Oh really. Oh really! I'll show you itsy bitsy!" 

He went to her and pushed her against the far wall, kissing her wildly... 

* * * 

Glenn prepared himself, as he was nervous. He'd never given flowers to a girl before... he put aside his insecurities and walked slowly toward the kitchen... 

* * * 

Lucca had wrapped her arms around Magus's neck, as he kissed her powerfully... 

"Lucca I..." 

Lucca gasped. Magus and Lucca looked over toward the entrance to the kitchen, where Glenn stood, flowers in hand... 

"Hi... um... hi Glenn!"   
"Umm... Hi, Lucca, Magus..."   
"Umm... who are the flowers for?" asked Lucca, giggling.   
"They were for beautiful but I gueth you thole him fwom me!" Glenn said with a lisp. He dropped the flowers to the ground and ran out of the room. 

"I suppose they were for you..."   
"Well... I never saw Glenn act like that before... was he trying to ask me out or something?"   
"Maybe." 

Magus realized he was still holding Lucca to the wall. He let her go and stood, smiling somewhat. 

"I'd better get practicing... we have another show tonight, right?"   
"Yeah..."   
"Well then..." 

He gave her another kiss on her forehead and left the room. 

"...Pig..." 

* * * 

"Stupid! Stupid stupid stupid!!"   
"Relax, Glenn! What's the problem?"   
"I'm so stupid!"   
"Glenn, listen to me. What happened in there?"   
"I interrupted her in there with Magus."   
"She was doing it in the kitchen? Go Lucca!"   
  
Glenn looked at Marle angrily. 

"Listen, Glenn. There's tons of other girls. I'm still trying to get over the fact that you're looking. I was used to the polite little respectful you when you were a frog."   
"It went with the figure, damn it!"   
"Relax!"   
"OOH… well, I'm sure there are more. And I guess I shouldn't bother with Lucca, I mean what are Magus's chances in this world anyway? Everyone pretty much hates him, although the younger folk like his music…"   
"Yeah, see? He doesn't have a chance in the world to find anyone else that would even touch him. So let him have his fun, and you have yours. Now I'll be inside, talking to the little lady about being a bit more polite and keeping it in the bedroom…" 

Magus walked outside, guitar in hand. 

"What a beautiful day!"   
"Indeed…" 

* * * 

Well, night came quickly. The second and last show (for safety reasons, as not to alert the castle) took place in front of Ozzie's Fort. The entire stage (or the pieces of it) were taken and moved with the use of the Epoch. The crowd was larger than that of the previous night, and the songs better. They managed to pump out the entire song Free Bird, by Lynyrd Skynyrd, sacrificing Flea's fingers which became bloodied thanks to the endless pressure put on them. Magus decided to have a bit more fun, and instead of harassing the crowd as he did the night before, he tried to make them laugh, by playing a certain Aerosmith song in honor of Flea… of course, Flea wasn't to fond of it, but he played along anyway. It was the last show, and after this he wouldn't have to put up with any more name calling. 

After the concert, Lucca and Magus made their way back to the castle… 

"Where the hell is she? We have to get this junk dismantled!"   
"She went back to the castle with Magus. Spekkio drove them."   
"What? Glenn, are you kidding me?"   
"What?"   
"She can't keep her hands off him, Glenn. You just cost us two good helping hands!"   
"I forgot about that…"   
"She's probably using those hands… never mind. We'll be here all night without her…"   
"She left the plans in the back, Marle. Don't worry about it! Crono will go and get them and we'll get this cleaned up." 

* * * 

"Good morning, Magus."   
"Glad to see you're not screaming." 

Magus reached over and put his arm around Lucca. 

"Sleep well?"   
"Hands off J.L. I gotta go." 

Lucca stood and left the room, leaving a smiling Magus relaxed on the bed. 

"Magus! Wake up!" 

Glenn was looking in the room. 

"What? What do you want?"   
"I got news for you. Good and bad."   
"Okay, explain."   
"First off, the people love the stuff, and they're demanding another show."   
"So we'll give it to them."   
"Problem is, I hear we have lookouts from the castle on our tail. They heard about everything. Leene's pissed off, too."   
"Leene! I forgot about her… what happens if she hears you and Marle are in on it?"   
"She won't hear. And I don't care if she hears."   
"Wow… you're not fond of her anymore, are you."   
"Magus, I had to fight a war over music. Music of all things! They lied to the people! They told everyone you were attacking them, when you guys were really just defending yourselves! And she's part of it now. Spekkio told me that it was the truth."   
"That's not exactly true..."   
"What?"   
"Well, truth is, I got a little overzealous. We were just trying to keep our territory with small advances, but we realized we had more than we needed. I decided that the entire world wouldn't be too far off…"   
"So you wanted to take the whole thing over just because you could."   
"It would have been great! No laws, everyone doing what they wanted. Just relaxing…" 

Glenn sighed. 

"At least your intentions were good…"   
"Somewhat."   
"But it's still their fault that everything had to happen the way it did, with Cyrus and you... right? I mean, hell, I even blamed myself for what happened to him, let alone you... but I never realized that if the castle hadn't decided to fight a war, if they had just compromised... if they had tried to talk it out... would your people have listened?"   
"My people were too angry and too driven at that time before the war started. It might have been nice, say... 30 or 40 years ago."   
"But if history repeats itself, would another war start?"   
"Yep. I doubt that they'll try anything though, seeing as how we beat the hell out of them the first time. Your folks might have won the war, but you sustained a lot of damage. A LOT. And besides, we wouldn't need to do that again... and if we did, I wouldn't lead it. I guess I could honestly say that I'm happy now."   
"That's a first…" said Glenn, meaning to be snide.   
"It is. It's not like me to be happy."   
"Why are you so happy? Because you're back in a band?"   
"I'm happy because I like her, Glenn. I think I actually really like Lucca."   
"You? You like someone? I'm surprised."   
"You should be. I don't usually like anybody." 

* * * 

"No, Marle, I am not in love with him. I hate him."   
"So why do you sleep with him?"   
"Because he's got a schwanz the size of a limousine!"   
"Man, Lucca, you are really something…"   
"What? Because I don't have feelings for him?"   
"Yes! You're just giving it away. Girls aren't supposed to do that."   
"So? Sometimes people don't do what they should. It's just the way they have to be." 

Glenn walked into the kitchen. 

"Morning, folks."   
"What's up Glenn?"   
"Nothing." 

Glenn went rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchen, looking for something to eat. He grabbed a small pouch. 

"Cough drops? What are these?"   
"I don't know." 

Glenn took one out and popped it in his mouth. 

"Tastes like honey. And lemon. And medicine. Here, Crono, you can have them, I don't like them." 

He gave the bag to Crono, who put one of the hard candy like drops in his mouth. Crono smiled, showing that he liked the flavor. 

"You like them? They taste nasty." 

Crono popped another in his mouth. They were really good! 

"Okay, Lucca, listen up. Magus agreed to another show."   
"Well I don't know how we'll do it with all that equipment you guys busted last night."   
"Well Lucca, you could have stood by to help instead of coming back here to have fun with Sir Loves a Lot!"   
"I left the plans there! You shouldn't have had trouble with them."   
"Lucca, you don't realize your glasses magnify everything a whole lot. Even more than needed. You decided to write everything super small so you could see perfectly. Sorry, we don't have glasses to help us out."   
"It should have been obvious. Listen, why don't you go back to my house and get BeBo? It'll help you out."   
"Fine. Marle, Crono, you go. Me and Lucca have something else to discuss." 

Crono and Marle left. 

"What else is there to talk about?"   
"We have to find somewhere else to hold another show."   
"Why?"   
"The people at the castle heard about the stuff. They've got lookouts all over. Problem is, if they find we've been holding these shows they'll attack us. And imagine how Marle would feel if she knew that what we are doing isn't exactly legal in the eyes of the king..."   
"What do you mean, not exactly legal?"   
"Let me tell you what Magus told me…"   



	4. Part 5 (finito)

"They did WHAT?"   
"That's what Magus tells me."   
"I mean... sheesh... I hope Magus was lying to you. This doesn't sound like the king I know."   
"Spekkio told me it was true. And besides, what about me? I was loyal to them for longer than you even knew them! And I had to lose my best friend for their cause."   
"Well maybe it's not her. Maybe it's the chancellor! Maybe... wait! Remember how the chancellor was Yakra? Maybe it was Yakra's doing that started the war."   
"It couldn't have been. The chancellor wasn't held hostage for twelve years. And besides, what royal family line forced the Mystics into hiding hundreds of years ago? This one. And the same bigotry has been passed down generation to generation."   
"I don't get this. Your brain went with your figure too, didn't it Glenn. Since when were you and Magus on the same side?"   
"I really have no idea and I don't want to talk about it. All I know is that now, we've got another show to put on, and I need to know where to put it on."   
"What about in the middle of that forest, the one that turns into Medina in our age?"   
"That land will eventually be cleared out anyway for the sake of the town, I guess that's a good idea." 

Marle and Crono walked in, with a walking hunk of metal behind them. 

"Back." Marle said.   
"Already?"   
"It doesn't take so long in the Epoch. Don't you know that?"   
"What's with you, BeBo?"   
"YOU-HAVE-TO-FIGHT-FOR-DEE-RIGHT-TO-PAR-TEE"   
"Okay, BeBo. Relax." 

The robot started jumping around, singing. 

"YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR DEE RIGHT TO PAR TEE!!!"   
"Okay, BeBo. Shut up."   
"YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR DEE RIGHT TO PAR TEE!!"   
"Marle! Grab the switch under the base of its neck. Shut it off!"   
"YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR DEEEEEEE......" 

BeBo's metal figure slumped to the ground. 

"Okay. You guys have the stuff packed, right? Hook it up to the Epoch and get it going to the middle of the field." 

Spekkio walked into the kitchen. 

"Spekkio! Where have you been?"   
"I've been receiving telepathic messages. We have a few visitors coming soon."   
"When?"   
"Not for another few days or so. One of them has an important fact for all of you."   
"No kidding."   
"Is my assistance needed?"   
"Yeah, can you cut down trees?"   
"For what?"   
"We're putting on another concert by request of the fans. For safety reasons, we're putting it in the middle of the field where Medina is in our era."   
"You shouldn't have to worry about that. That field has been cleared already."   
"How convenient! But what for?"   
"Well, the mystics aren't fond of staying underground so they're attempting to move upward."   
"Underground?"   
"Never mind. If you people plan on putting on another show, you should get the place built right away."   
"Crono! Marle! Go!"   
"Fine, then, Lucca. Just order us around!"   
"I have other business to deal with." 

* * * 

Crono and Marle flew carefully in the Epoch, with a bundle attached to the bottom flying along under them. A sudden appearance of a dark figure startled the driving Marle. 

"What was that?" 

Crono shrugged. 

"That was weird..." 

Crono stood and looked behind him, looking for the figure in the distance. Marle suddenly felt the Epoch speed up, and Crono gasped as he saw the bundle of equipment floating below him in the ocean. 

"Crono? What's happening? The Epoch is flying so easily! What happened to the equipment?" 

He pointed out the window. Marle looked at the floating items in the ocean. 

"What the hell are we going to do now?" 

Crono pointed forward at the site of Medina, which they were steadily approaching. There, in the center, was a large paved area surrounded by a railing. 

"We're saved! We can use that!" 

* * * 

The stage area was set up carefully, with the help of the semi-anxious mystics. Despite the public's hatred for their former leader and current traitor Magus, they felt obliged to help get the stage up. The electrical equipment was brought more carefully, however the Epoch still had its share of damage from the heavy hauling. However, some of the equipment suffered damage as well. 

"This is two of them that are busted!"   
"What are we going to do, Lucca? The people are already outside, and nothing is happening for another two hours!"   
"Why does it have to be planned for 4 am? Why?"   
"Glenn and Magus were going on about protection or something. I really have no idea."   
"Ohh... Don't worry about it, Marle, just don't worry." 

Glenn rushed onto the stage, under the makeshift cover. 

"Lucca! Marle! It's starting to rain!"   
"What? Oh no..."   
"Marle, relax! The equipment is stronger than you think. We'll just get BeBo to make up the difference. We'll be fine!" 

Lucca did the workings, hooking some of the equipment up through BeBo. She also dismantled its microprocessor, vocal items, and motion circuits, so it didn't move or start to sing. The covered the area with a simple tarp, to block out the drizzle. 

Time passed, and the area became condensed with people, both human and mystic alike, all of them waiting for the show. Ozzie, Flea, and Slash made their way on, all three very irate because of the lack of attention they were getting. Magus, however, stayed behind, contemplating whether or not to tell Lucca what he told Glenn... 

"If you do, Magus..."   
"I'm J.L. now."   
"If you do, J.L, you have to be real nice to her."   
"What would you know?"   
"Trust me, I saw it on the Media Crystal. If anything, dedicate a song to her onstage. Make it the last song."   
"Are you sure?"   
"Positive. I've seen tons of shows where they did just that, and they all had happy endings!"   
"If you make me look stupid, you can forget about keeping that body of yours!"   
"Get! Go! Onstage! And give me a signal when you're about to do this. I gotta see this."   
"I'll stomp on the ground twice."   
"Go!" 

Magus made his way onto the stage, the crowd cheering loudly for him. 

"Okay! Shut up! Let's get this going!" 

The team started to play AC\DC. All was going well, until one of the tarps covering some of the hidden equipment ripped, exposing the equipment to the steadily falling rain. Sparks flew, and suddenly, the sound went out. 

"Damn it! Glenn! Get up there and fix that covering! Crono, you get my tools." 

Lucca gave orders in anger as she made her way over to the equipment to see what was the trouble. She noticed that the tarp hadn't ripped. It was cut. She ignored it though, and studied the equipment. 

"Damn it... it's gone..." 

Lucca examined the busted items as she had an idea. She brought BeBo over and worked on fixing putting everything through the bulky robot. However, she had to enable its microprocessor to allow the electrical flow to continue through the robot's closed ports. As she turned it on, it began to have a mind of its own, and it started singing... 

"ITS SABOTAGE! 

Magus, in front of the crowd, was confused. 

"Yello? What the hell is going on back there?"   
"Shut your face and keep playing!" screamed Lucca. She messed with the robot. She thought she had disabled its vocal amplifier, but apparently, someone had re-enabled it. 

Magus, surprised, walked back to center stage. The crowd was throwing things at them in anger. The ranting of the robot ceased through the hands of Lucca, and Magus was able to continue. As he was playing a different song, Lucca called through Crono from the back. 

"Crono! Can you watch this junk? Just make sure nothing gets on it." 

Crono popped a cough drop in his mouth and walked over to BeBo, and tapped its chrome head. Lucca left to meet Marle in the front, to watch Magus's annoying, yet handsome self. They played for over an hour, playing tons of hard, angry songs. Magus was confused, though. He looked at all the people as he played, and he noticed a strange figure in the audience, all the way in the back. It was sitting on top of a tree, looking at him. He could see that the figure had a blade, although very thin. It was drawn and poised, almost as a signal to Magus... but he had to look away, his performance required some heavy headbanging. When he looked up again, the figure was gone. 

The rain was pouring furiously, with Glenn and Crono in the back, making sure that nothing got wet. 

"Where's Spekkio? He's been gone for ages!" 

Crono pointed backward, towards some trees. Glenn grabbed a nearby flashlight and shined it backward. There, was a giant red figure hanging out of a tree, asleep. 

"Damn him!" 

Suddenly, the ends of one of the tarps flew off. Crono ran and grabbed it, but was barely able to hold it to the ground. Glenn made his way over to the sleeping Spekkio, grabbed a long pole, and started poking at its back, the only part that was visible as it hung from the tree. He managed to scratch Spekkio's back. 

"What? What?"   
"Spekkio! Get down here!"   
"What do you want?" Spekkio said, as he climbed down.   
"You know, you helped set up this entire concert and you've been ignoring if for the past three days! Do your friggin part and help out!"   
"Alright! Alright!" 

Spekkio followed Glenn back to where Crono was, and made him sit on the loose end of the tarp. He quickly fell asleep. 

"Problem averted!" Glenn yelled. He looked suddenly out the tarp, and was able to see the slight silhouette of a person behind it. It left suddenly, leaving without a trace. 

Magus and the band finished their song, without many real technical problems present after the first one, luckily. Magus saw Lucca and smiled meekly, he saw that the crowd was still angry. Apparently, this time, they hadn't liked the choice of songs. But Magus didn't care... the next one was a hit twelve years ago, it would be good now. 

Magus stood on the stage, in front of the crowd, sweating, tired, and aching to play more. He saw Lucca below, standing with Marle there, staring up at him, smiling. 

"Okay, we've got another one. This is the only song I know of that might just be a love song. Its called Nothing Else Matters, by Metallica, my favorite band, the people I like to rip off of most." 

He took his guitar in hand, and stomped the floor twice with his foot.. 

"This one is for Lucca, the little thief that stole my heart."   
"Cheap! Cheap!" cried the masses.   
"What the hell is he talking about, stole his heart?" Lucca yelled, from below.   
"I think he likes you, Lucca."   
"What? I don't want him to like me! I hate him!"   
"Don't tell me, tell him!" 

Lucca jumped upward and climbed onto the stage. She walked over to the astounded Magus and slapped him in the face. 

"I don't like you! I never liked you! Get over it!" 

The entire message rang out through the crowd. They started to laugh at Magus, who stood there in shock as Lucca left the stage. Laughing calls from the crowd rung out, mocking Magus. His guitar fell to the ground. He had been hurt and extremely embarrassed. The rain in the air turned to a full storm, the water pouring to the ground. Magus drudged off the stage, his jaw gaped open. The concert was ruined. 

Behind Magus, the other three band members cursed in anger. 

"Damn it, Magus, get your ass back here!" Flea yelled in anger.   
"Just leave him alone, Flea." Slash said, keeping his friend from attacking the mage. 

Suddenly, sparks started to fly. Ozzie jumped backward in fear, afraid that the sparks would hit him. He managed to trip over BeBo, who started singing again. Ozzie tried to ignore BeBo's screams about sabotage and noticed that there was a large piece of equipment there, with a thin cut going straight through, from front to back... 

* * *   
Time had passed, and the folks abandoned the stage and flew home, most of them unknowing of Magus's location. As they made their way back to the palace, Marle confronted Lucca.   


"That was harsh, Lucca. Really. Even for him."   
"You told me to tell him!"   
"You could have waited until after the show. You embarrassed him onstage, in front of thousands of people!"   
"What about me? Am I just supposed to let him sing to me?"   
"You could have been easier on him. It's not like he's ever liked anyone else before! At this point, he may just give up as it is. How would you feel if you found out Magus never was able to find anyone ever again just because of you?"   
"He's not that stupid."   
"He's more fragile than you think. He may be an adult but he's not used to being shot down. He's not even used to liking anyone!"   
"Well how do you want me to fix it?"   
"Go and talk to him. I saw him down by the shores. And it wasn't a pretty sight. He was dressed in his old clothes and looked really dark and angry."   
"Oh great, just let him attack me or something..."   
"You take the good with the bad. Now go!" 

Lucca turned and walked away, the sky barely lit from the sun that had not risen. The rain had slowed to a halt, but the ground below her had started to turn into mud. 

* * * 

"Magus?"   
"What do you want?"   
"Nothing."   
"So leave."   
"Will you come with me? We'll sit down and talk, ok?"   
"Lucca, I'm sitting in mud. Don't expect me to move until nighttime."   
"Magus... I'm sorry, ok?"   
"No."   
"What? What are you so angry about?"   
"You're nasty, that's what."   
"Oh please! What else could I say? I didn't even know you were into girls until a few days ago!"   
"I AM NOT GAY!"   
"Fine."   
"Lucca, do you know how old I am? I'm 29. I'm going to be thirty soon."   
"You have years in front of you! There'll be more girls for you in the future."   
"Lucca, most men my age are married with kids."   
"So you you're angry because you're not married. Since when did you want children?"   
"Just because I may not be normal in your eyes doesn't mean I don't have visions of the future. I do want kids and a wife someday."   
"So you were hoping to have kids with me because you actually felt something for me."   
"They'd be awfully good looking children." 

Lucca smiled and walked toward Magus from the behind. She put her arms on his shoulders and hugged him as he watched the horizon. 

"That's a really nice thing to say. But I'm sorry, Magus. I'm too young to have kids first of all, not to mention I don't have feelings for you like that. And I'm sorry to say it, but not many people in the world will..."   
"That is such a nasty thing to say."   
"Well-"   
"You can leave now." 

Lucca stood again, and sighed. 

"That's it? No revenge? No last wishes?"   
"Lucca, just grant me this. Do one last thing for me."   
"If it will make you feel better."   
"Sit down next to me and watch the sun rise."   
"I never knew you were a romantic..." Lucca said, smiling meekly. 

Lucca went and sat down next to him. She forgot that the ground was incredibly muddy. She stood up immediately after she sat, realizing her entire rear end was now covered with mud. 

"That's my revenge."   
"You! That was so mean! OOOH!" 

Lucca stormed away in a rage. 

* * * 

"That is it! Get in the Epoch! We're leaving! And not a word out of you, redhead!" 

Lucca ordered Marle and Crono into the Epoch, not even bothering to wipe off the mud invading her skin. 

"What happened?"   
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" 

Crono popped another cough drop into his mouth, as he prepared to speak. 

"I said not a word, Crono!"   
"MEESA NEVER SPEAKA!" 

The high pitched voice rang out and surprised Marle and Lucca. 

"Meesa cured! Meesa cana speaka! YAHOO!"   
"That's your voice? You sound like you've been neutered! And you sound... different..."   
"Meesa no weird. Yousa dumb. Meesa no lika you no more. In Epoch! Now! Crono mama be very happy Crono got speaka back!" 

Marle frowned and jumped in the Epoch after Crono. Lucca had been in the front seat, gripping the steering wheel angrily. 

"Relax with those controls, Lucca, or you'll break the darn thing."   
"Shut up, Marle."   
"Lucca! You no be wude!" Crono yelled.   
"Shut up, Crono. You sound dumber than Ozzie does." 

Lucca pumped a few switches. The Epoch jumped into gear, but then suddenly came to a halt. 

"What's the matter? Why isn't it going?"   
"I don't know."   
"Meesa speak now. Epoch strong. Epoch no invincible. Deesa need run on energy. Crono say yousa need fuel."   
"You are saying it's out of gas."   
"Meesa says."   
________________________________________________   
Oh no. Oh no. Just... just... no. ^_^ 

See you in the next story... The Day the Epoch Ran Out of Gas! 


End file.
